title: Regression-based pediatric norms for the brief visuospatial memory test: revised and the symbol digit modalities test.
abstract: The Brief Visuospatial Memory Test - Revised (BVMTR) and the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) oral-only administration are known to be sensitive to cerebral disease in adult samples, but pediatric norms are not available. A demographically balanced sample of healthy control children (N = 92) ages 6-17 was tested with the BVMTR and SDMT. Multiple regression analysis (MRA) was used to develop demographically controlled normative equations. This analysis provided equations that were then used to construct demographically adjusted z-scores for the BVMTR Trial 1, Trial 2, Trial 3, Total Learning, and Delayed Recall indices, as well as the SDMT total correct score. To demonstrate the utility of this approach, a comparison group of children with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) or multiple sclerosis (MS) were also assessed. We find that these visual processing tests discriminate neurological patients from controls. As the tests are validated in adult multiple sclerosis, they are likely to be useful in monitoring pediatric onset multiple sclerosis patients as they transition into adulthood.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Smerbeck
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parrish
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hoogs
authors.forename: Lauren B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Krupp
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Weinstock-Guttman
authors.forename: R H B
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Benedict
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000592:standards; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000379:methods; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013028:Space Perception; D014706:Verbal Learning